Method of and machine for treating hides and skins with liquid



5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug 19. 1950 94 Inventor Mei/1 Maeser' Byhz's Afforney W M 2 1 m i e w w .r 2 a e h S 5 March 25, 1952 M. MAESER METHOD OF AND MACHINE FOR TREATING HIDES AND SKINS WITH LIQUID Flled Aug 19, 1950 In venion Mefh Maeser March 25, 1952 M MAEsER METHOD OF AND MACHINE; FOR TREATING HIDES AND SKINS WITH LIQUID Filed Aug. 19, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet s 72 A34 23 i I n we nior Mieih Ma 6 597 yizLfs/Hfornel/ March 25, 1952 M s R 2,590,194

METHOD OF AND MACHINE FOR TREATING HIDES AND SKINS WITH LIQUID 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Aug. 19, 1950 Invenion 0Q Meih Maeser' Byhis/lzior'ney March 25,- 1952 MAEsER 2,590,194

M. METHOD OF AND MACHINE FOR TREATING HIDES AND SKINS WITH LIQUID Filed Aug. 19, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Ms s PH a. s

I n venior: Mifh Maeser- B his AH or'n ey able.

Patented Mar. 25, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE i METHOD OF AND MACHINE FOR TREATING HIDES AND SKINS WITH LIQUID Micth Mae ser, Beverly, Mass, assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation; Flemington, N. J a. corporation of New J ersey Application August 19, 1950, Serial No. 180,357

I to either a hide or a skin and the vterm fluid is used to indicate either liquid or vapor. 1 Although not limited thereto, the invention is described with particular reference to the wetting back of heavy hides. This operation, as

heretofore carried out, generally consumes considerable time for in such cases fluids do not penetrate the work as quickly as would be desir- The wetting back is an operation designed to condition the work for subsequent operations. Other operations such as liming; bating 3 Claims. (01. 8-1-5045) and also tanning have consumed considerable time because of the length of the soaking period found necessary as such soaking has heretofore been practiced. Whereas it sometimes takes hours for a treating liquid adequately to .pene- 't'rate a hide for a given purpose, such a hide may,

in using the present invention, be thoroughly permeated by the treating liquid in a few minutes-thi's comparatively short interval or time varyingto some degree with the thickness of the work, the type of tannage 01' other factors such [as the strength of the treating fluid,. the temperature and the pHv value of the fluid; '1

I An object of. the present invention is to pro- -vide. an improved method for the treatment of cessive localized strips or portions and ma e it more receptive to simultaneous penetrati treating fluids. A feature of the present invention is the feeding of a work piece along a predetermined-path leading through a narrow work 'treatmentifzone in a;.iiuid bathand the individual vibratingzof successive cross-sectional portions of the work while in contact with the fiuid inthat zone and in directions substantially normal (i. e. perpendicular) to the path of feed. Another feature resides in the combination of elements in which a member is slotted to receive the full cross section of a work piece to be treated and which m m is m nted s req r ovem to impart momentary and limited distortion to individual and successive narrow strips or portions of the work as the latter is contacted by the treating fluid. Preferably and as illustrated, the member for imparting such movements or vibration comprises a pair of cooperating blades with opposed edges for'contacting opposite sides of successively fed narrow cross-sectional strips or porti'onsof a hide, these blades operating in a zone of liquid and in vibratory relationwith work uides contiguous to each side of the pair of blades.

The invention will now be more particularl described by reference to the accompanying drawings and thereafter pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, v

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the left side and rear of a' machineconstituting one embodiment of an apparatus suitable for carrying out the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of the right-hand side of a major portion of the machine shown in Fig. 1; drawn to a-larger scale and with one section broken away for ease of illustration;

Fig. 3 is'a sectional view along the line III-III of Fig.2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view along the line IV-IV of Fig. 3 and drawn to a'still larger scale; f

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 'VV of Fig. 4; p

Fig. 6'- is a sectional view of some of the main operative parts as shown in Fig. 5 but with those parts in different relative positions as assumed during a different portion of the operation cycle; and

Fig. 7 is a detail view partially in section illustrating the type of construction employed in "mounting the blades in the machine.

The machine is provided with a base plate l0 and two sides plates [2 and I4 joined by a top plate l6, these plates making a box-like structure with open sides at front and rear through which a horizontal liquid container or tank 18 is mounted. The container [8 is slidable with relation to the sides l2 and I lf Rigidity is given the. container I8 by transverse members 20 and 22 having depending vertical flanges 2| and 23 (Fig. 5). A heavy transverse member 24 is mountedhorizontally between the members 20 and 22 and its ends abut and are in slidable relation to the plates I2 and 14. The member 24 supports the container l 8 and the main operative parts of the machine and steadies the latter parts despite the severe stressesemployed as will further appear. The depending flanges 2| and 23 are attached to the member 24 by bolts 26. A feed roll assembly 30 (Fig. is employed on each side, above and parallel with the heavy member 24 and within the tank I8. These feed roll assemblies 39 are of conventional construction and. are composed of resiliently or yieldingly mounted upper rolls 32 and fixed lower rolls 34, the latter having roughened cylindrical surfaces. The feed roll assemblies 39 are firmly located in position by bolts 40 which extend through the transverse members and 22.

At the front of the machine the container I8 is provided with a plate member M which is inclined downwardly to a point adjacent to the bite between the rolls of the front feed roll assembly (Figs. 2 and 5). At the rear of the machine the container [8 is provided with an upwardly and rearwardly inclined plate 44 which leads from the bottom portion of the rear feed roll assembly 30.

A shaft 50 is journaled in the upper rear portions of the side plates I2 and I4 and a flywheel 52 is attached thereto and adapted to rotate therewith. The hub of the flywheel 52 is in the form of a pulley 53 to be driven by a belt 54 leading from a source of power supply (not shown).

A bracket 56 is attached by bolts 58 to each of the plates I2 and I4, as viewed in Fig. 3. Each of the brackets 55 has a pair of depending flanges 58 and 59 which are perforated by a row of holes 60 (Fig. 2) and these holes extend through the corresponding side plate I2 or I4. Each set of alined holes is adapted to receive a pin' 64 arranged to be inserted through a side plate and having a knurled head 68. Each of these two pins 64 is adapted to serve as a pivot as will further appear and theseries of sets of holes serve for changing the locations of the pins 64 as a means of adjustment of the range of relative motion for main operative parts of the machine. Each end of the shaft 59 is provided with an eccentric 68, which is adapted to drive an arm I0 pivoted at 12 to the rear end of a substantially horizontal lever I4. This lever 14 has holes corresponding with the holes 60 formed in the flanges 58 and 59. Each of the levers T l extends beyond its bracket 55 toward the front of the machine and-is pivoted at 80 to the upper end of a substantially vertical bar 82 which in turn is pivoted by means of a short pin 84 to a vertically slidable block 8 8. Each block 88 is in close fitting slidable relation with the walls 88 and 89 of a. large vertical slot cut in each of the walls I2 or I4. Each rod 82 extends some distance below its pivot pin 84 and is provided with a reduced end portion 90 (Fig. '7) to which is attached a member for distorting successive narrow portions of the WOIk. This member comp-rises blades 92 and 94 and the ends of the two blades 92 and '94 are spaced by elements or washers 9B interposed. The lower end of each rod 82 is threaded at 98 to receive a nut I80 which holds the blades 92 and 94 in proper assembled relation.

The blades 32 and 94 extend transversely of the machine and present a narrow slot 96 (Fig. 7) between them. The lower edge of the blade 92 is smooth and rounded in contour and the same is to each side of the blade 94 is located a rigid block member I02 having an L-shaped cross section. The distance between the two blocks I02 determines the width of a narrow work treatment zone extending the full width of the widest work piece to be treated. The top side of each end of each block member I02 is recessed to receive the head I04 of a bolt I05 which passes down through a horizontal slot I88 cut in the member I02, through the bottom of the container I8, and through the heavy member 24. A nut H0 is placed on the bottom end of the bolt I36 to hold the parts in their proper adjusted positions. Each end of each block I22 is threaded at II4 (Fig. 5) to receive a bolt H9 which is adapted to retain one end of a horizontal member H8 in proper relation to the block I02. A washer I20 is interposed beneath each end of each member H8 to serve as a spacer and these spacers determine the width of slot or clearance between the top surface of each block I82 and its corresponding member I I8. It will be understood that the width or height of this slot at least equals the thickness of any work piece to be treated and that its length is more than sufficient to receive the full width of such work piece.

The heavy member 24 is bored at I22 and I24 (Fig. 3) to receive the reduced upper ends of threaded shafts I26 and I28. Each of these shafts is provided with a thrust bearing I30 which rests within a recess in the base plate I0 and has a threaded sleeve or collar to which a gear is secured. The shafts I28 and I28 extend through the base plate I0 and are not rotative with relation thereto. Worm and gear arrangements I32 are. provided at the lower end of each of the vertical rods I26 and I28 and the construction is such that they may be operated by an interconnecting horizontal shaft I34 and a manually operable handle I35. The shaft I34, handle I35 and the worm gears are supported by brackets I38 which are attached to the sides of the machine by bolts I39. Rotation of the handle I38 and of the collars Within the thrust bearings I30 results in the raising or lowering of the container I8 with respect to the blades 92 and 94.

A motor and gear reduction arrangement I40 (Fig. l) is mounted adjacent to the base of the machine and is arranged to drive the lower rolls of the two feed roll assemblies 30 by means of a chain 'I 42 connected to the shaft of the lower roll of one of the feed roll assemblies 30 through a sprocket M4. The lower roll in the front feed roll assembly is operated by a suitable chain I46 and sprockets I48 and I50 interconnecting the two feed roll assemblies.

In operation of the device a hide I52 '(Fig. 5) is spread out upon the plate 4| at the front of the machine and introduced into the bite of the front feed roll assembly 30 which bite is beneath the surface of the liquid placed in the container i8. Assuming that the motor drive assembly I49 isv in operation and that the flywheel shaft 50 is being suitably driven by the belt 54, the blades 92 and 94 and hence the work will be vibrated in a direction substantially normal to the path of the work as the hide I52 passes from one feed roll assembly to the other feed roll assembly through the slots formed between the members H8 and the blocks I02. The vibration of the blades 92 and 94 causes successive narrow strips of the work to be distorted as depicted in Fig. 6 but it will be understood that the form or degree of the work displacement or distortion by the blades may be varied considerably as the blocks pair of blades. It will be understood that when i treating thinner or, more flexible work, guiding means or plates (not shown) should be supplemented for leading the work as it is fed byfthe feed roll assemblies 33 to and from the top surfaces of the blocks I02.

Successive narrow cross sectional portionsjfof each work piece fed through the machine "are worked and distorted in such a way that the pores of the work are opened and the work is rendered susceptible of rapid penetration by the fluid placed in the container It. A suitable frequency for one type of solo leather was found to be about 2400 vibrations per minute but the frequency as well as the amplitude of the vibrations is subject to wide variation.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A machine for treating hides with liquid comprising a slotted member, a slotted guide contiguous to each side of the slotted member, the slots of said member and guides being in contiguous relation for the passage of a work piece therethrough, means for efiecting relative vibration between the member and the guides in dipath, a pair of cooperating blades with opposed edges presenting a slot between the said edges to encompass said path, a stationary work guide member contiguous to each side of. said pair of blades, said guide members having slots for close- 1y confining said work to said path, and power means for vibrating the said pair of blades in a direction substantiaily normal to said path.

3. A method of treating hides which comprises feeding a spread out work piece along a predetermined path leading through and transverse to a narrow work treatment zone in a bath of liquid and simultaneously with the feeding individually distorting each of successive narrow cross-sec- I; tional portions of said work piece as it is fed through said zone by subjecting said portions to reciprocatcry movement in directions 'normal to the said predetermined path with a high frequency and amplitude adequate to increase penetration of the liquid into the work piece while restraining against reciprocatory movement por tions of said work piece adjoining said narrow cross-sectional portions.

M113 H MAESER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

